The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method of cutting a plurality of light waveguides which are united and bundled together in a cable of light waveguides. The method includes the steps of clamping each of the light waveguides at a first point, clamping each of the light waveguides at a second point spaced from the first point in a common clamp, subjecting the clamped portion of the waveguides to an axial tensile stress as the clamped portion is disposed on an anvil and subsequently scratching or notching each of the individual waveguides at a point of contact with the anvil to cause separation of the waveguides at its notch.
A method and apparatus for cutting each of the light waveguides of a plurality of light waveguides which are in a cable of light waveguides is disclosed in an earlier U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 153,195, filed May 27, 1980, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,584, which is based on German patent application P No. 29 25 070. In this method, the clamped waveguides were held parallel to each other as they engage an upper surface of an anvil and to obtain the desired axial tensile stress in each of the waveguides, a vertical pressure was exerted on each of the waveguides such as an optical fiber by using pressure pins or set bolts which were loaded by weights which weights were proportional to the desired axial tensile stress. However, the amount of sag in the individual light waveguides could differ as a result of the pressure load and thus there was no guarantee of a precisely defined axial tensile stress being applied on each of the individual waveguide. In fact due to the different lengths involved, different axial stresses would be applied which under certain circumstances would significantly influence the cutting or separating operation. With an increasing sag, the angle with which the individual waveguides were seated on the anvil would also increase and this increased angle would also lead to fluctuations in the axial tensile stress in the light waveguide. Also, the positioning of the set pins and weights above the anvil to apply a vertical pressure on each of the waveguides often interferred and slowed up the operation of inserting the light waveguides in the clamping devices during the initial stages of the method.